Book Review: Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan

Book: Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan by Hildi Kang

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

In this adventure story set in China during 630 A.D., it focused on main character Chengli a 13 years old orphan who grows tired and restless with his current life and longs to join a caravan. He also hopes to finds information about his father who was a inspector and was reported to have died while out in the desert.

After leaving the only home he ever known and saying goodbye to Old Cook, the woman who raised him following the death of his mother, he set out to find a caravan to join. Chengli ended up joining Master Fong's caravan which is a rather rough yet hard working group who were just given the task of escorting a Princess who was to join their travel.

Chengli soon realizes how tiring and harsh being a part of a caravan was. He does make a new friend, Fourth Brother whose family could no longer afford another child, had given the boy away to Master Fong. And after a harrowing incident they soon found themselves becoming friends or as friendly with Princess Meiling as they could get who despite being a little girl was on her way to get married. But soon Chengli was starting to wonder if Fourth Brother wasn't someone who he should hang out with after he spotted him doing something wrong. Chengli talked to him about it but all it did was have Fourth Brother threaten him.

As the trio and two of the Princess' helpers Dakshesh and Sudarshana and guards were on their way back from an outing in the sand they were caught in a sand storm then found out their caravan had been attacked by bandits. The caravan was now at a disadvantage and they would have to ban together more than ever if they are going to make it to escort the Princess to her destination.

Chengli's problems with Fourth Brother continued but soon even more problems arose following the Princess being abducted leaving Chengli becoming lost as he tried to go after the abductors. But after getting help from some new friends, Chengli planed to go find the Princess. But even returning the Princess to the caravan brought more trouble for Chengli who was immediately arrested. He was accused for a crime he did not commit. He would soon have to prove his innocence which is hard when the world sees him as nothing more than a dirty caravan boy whose honesty is constantly questioned.

This was a good story and it had Chengli learning many things not only about his father but also about himself. This was an interesting adventure. I love all the descriptions and details the author provided they really enhanced the story. You feel as if you are a part of the journey the caravan was taking.